Can opener



Dec. 14, 1948. w, J NOBLETT M 2,456,307

CAN OPENER Filed May 20, 1947 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR. Way/arm J Nob/6 fl 2 %%W@WVWW Dec.- 14, 1948. vw. .1. NOBLETT CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1947 INVENTOR. Way/0nd d Nob/e 2:

A a torn 65 6 Patented Dec. 14, 1948 UlTJYED STATES ATENT ()FFICE 2,456,307 oAN- OPENER Wayland J. Noblett, Long Beach, Calif. Application May 20, 194); Serial No. 749,200

8 Claims.

This invention relates to-improvements in can opening devices and more particularly to an improved can opener which is supported on the can during the opening operation rather than being supported on a wall or a table, andis-operated by a hand crank so that a can top may be completely severedfrom a can with a mini. mum of manual effort.

It is among the objects of the invention to pro-' yide an improved can opener or simplified construction which is economical to'rnanufacture, has a minimum number of different parts, is easy to apply in operative position to a can to be opened, engages the'can in a positive and effective manner so that the can lid is severed from the can without slipping of the opener, which leaves the end of the can in a smooth condition without any sharp or protruding pieces of metal which might injure the hand of a person using the opener orhandling the can, which is effective to efficiently remove the end closure or lid'from a can with an extremely small amount of manual effort and without loss of time, and

which is so constructed as to be capable of opening an extremely large number of cans without requiring any servicing or repair.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following'description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

v Fig. 1 is a side elevation'al View of the improved can" opener shown appliedin operative position to a can to be opened; I

Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view of the can opener taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational View of the can opener looking at the left hand end as vviewed'in Fi 1';

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig, 1;. and

Fig, 5 is a' detailed sectional view of a frage mentary part of the can opener taken on the ne55 o ig.-

With continued reference to the drawings, the can opener comprises a body or frame I!) which may be conveniently formed of a single length f suit l trip or tr p rnetal bent to h ppropriate shape. This frame comprises a sub.- stantially straight base portion ll having at one endthereof a depending foot portion 12 disposed Substantially at right angles to the por--- tion l l and providing a rest orabutmentfor operative association with the side Y of. a" canin the manner illustrated in Fig. 1. At the end of'the base portion H opposite the foot 12 the strip is bent at right angles to provide a vertical outer leg portion 18' and from the upper end of the portion I3 is curved around a quadrant M to'th'e' upper end of a vertical standard portion l5 which is positioned immediately above the top edge of the can when the opener is in opera tive position, At the lower end of the vertical standard portion lo -the strap is bent at right angles to provide a' horizontal guide portion (6 which extends inwardly towards the outer leg l3 and at the inner end of this portioniEthe strap is again bent downwardly at right angles to provide the inner leg ll the endp'ortion of which is bent" outwardly at right angles to provide a foot i8 which is secured to the base member ll intermediate the length .of the base member by suitable means, such as the screws i9.

The outer and inner leg portions I3 and H a p v ded. with regist rin int ally sc ew threaded apertures which. receive an externally cre hr ad d sleeve 0' hav ng opp sitely dis p sed Wines 2 on t outer end t f- A haft ZZf s' tata y mount d in the sleeve 20 and is bent at its outer end to provide a crank 23 upon which is secured a rotatable handle 24'. A washer. 251 loosely surrounds the shaft .2 at the inner end-tithe sl ve 20 n is" provided with av partly spherical outer face26 and a depending spoke, or lever member 21 the lower end of which-engages one side of the base portion ll. of the frame to restrain the washer against" rotation. A canwturning disk. 2'8 is fixed uporithe innerend of the shaft 22, the disk ha v ing a centrally locatedsquare' or other noncircular aperture and the shaft having a correspondingly shaped end portion 29 which is, received in the disk aperture and expanded to firmly secure the wheel or disk 28 on the end of the shaft. The outer face of the disk 28, that is, the face adjacent the can 30, is provided with radial teeth or serrations 3|] which operatively engage the upper rirn 32 of the can to rotatethe' can whenthe shaft 22 is turned by the crank 23.

The. horizontal guide portion 16' is provided with a rectangular aperture 33 adjacent the standard portion [5 into which aperture. the upper portion of the disk 28 extends, as is illustrated', in. Fig. 2'. r

A blade 34 having a sharpened and pointed lower end is secured to the inner surface of the standard portion l5 by suitable screw fasteners 35;. and extends downwardly through the apex", ture 33"s othat its edged and-pointed lowerend is apposite the serrated face of the disk 28 and is spaced from the face of the disk a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the can rim 32.

V A member 36 has a leg portion 31 secured to the outer surface of the standard portion l'5 by the screw 35 and a magnetized portion 38 disposed at right angles to the leg portion 35 and is positioned adjacent to or in contact with the top or upper end closure of a can when the can opener is in operative association with the can. The magnetic portion 38 of this member 36 is preferably formed of a material capable of permanently retaining strong magnetismflhe material alnico being particularly suitable for this purpose.

A hand knob 40 is secured to the top of the outer frame l4 by a suitable screw fastener M in a position substantially directly above the cutting blade 34.

The operation of the device? is believed to be ob vious from the drawings. The device is placed in position so that the point of the knife element 34 contacts the can top just within the can rim 32. Pressure is then applied to the knob it) to force the point of the knife through the can-top until the guide portion l6 contacts the upper edge of the can. The sleeve member 20 is then rotated by the wings 2| forcing the washer 26 against the rear or outer side of the disk 28 and in turn forcin the serrated face of the disk into firm engagement with the outer peripheral surface of the can rim 32. The shaft 22 is then rotated by the crank 23 and the disk 28, engaging the can rim, rotates the can causing the knife to sever the top end closure or lid of the can around the inner surface of the can wall. c When the end closure has been completely severed from the can it is attracted and held by the magnet 38 so that it does not drop down into thecan.

v The sleeve 20 is then rotated to relieve the pressure exerted on the disk 28 and the can opener may then betilted slightly upwardly at its outer portions and lifted from the can, the can lid or cover adhering to the magnet 38 and being removed from the can at the same time.

'.Th'e" invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the ap pended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes whichcome within the meaning and range of equivalencycf the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

' What is claimed is:

'1. A can opener comprising a continuous metal framehaving a base portion arranged to contact a can wall at one end and extend substantially at right angles to said can wall, a pair of substantially parallel leg portions extending upwardly from said base portion, a guide portion overly ing the upper end of the can, and a standard portion extending upwardly from said guide portio'nja blade secured to said standard portion and extendingdownwardly through said guide portion; an externally screw threaded sleeve extending through internally threaded apertures in said leg portions; a shaft journalled in said sleeve and having a hand crank on the outer end thereof; a disk having a radially serrated inner face fixed on'the inner end of said shaft in position to engage a can upper rim and rotate the can 4 against said blade; and a thrust washer interposed between the inner end of said sleeve and said disk whereby rotation of said sleeve in said leg portions will force said disk into operative engagement with said can rim.

2. A can opener comprising a continuous metal frame having a base portion arranged to contact a can wall at one end and extend substantially at right angles to said can wall, a pair of substantially parallel leg portions extending upwardly from said base portion, a guide portion overlying the upper end of the can and a standard portion extending upwardly from said guide portion; a blade secured to said standard portion and extending downwardly through said guide portion; an externally screw threaded sleeve extending through internally threaded apertures in said leg portions; a shaft journalled in said sleeve and having a hand crank on the outer end thereof a disk having a radially serrated inner face fixed on the inner end of said shaft in position to engage a can upper rim and rotate the can against said blade; and a thrust washer interposed between the inner end of said sleeve and said disk whereby rotation of said sleeve in said leg portions will force said disk into operative engagement with said can rim and a member of magnetic material secured to said standard portion and overlying the top end closure of said can.

3. A- can opener comprising a continuous metal frame having a base portion arranged to contact a can wall at one end and extend substantially at right angles to said can wall, a pair of substantially parallel leg portions extending upwardly from said base portion, a guide portion overlying the upper end of the can and a standard portion extending upwardly from said guide portion; a blade secured to said standard portion and extending downwardly through said guide portion; an externally screw threaded sleeve extending through internally threaded apertures in said leg portions; a shaft journalled in said sleeve and having a hand crank on the outer end thereof; a disk having a radially serrated inner face fixed on the inner end of said shaft in position to engage a can upper rim and rotate the can against said blade; and a thrust washer interposed between the inner end of said sleeve and said disk whereby rotation of said sleeve in said leg portions will force said disk into operative engagement with said can rim; and a hand knob secured to said frame near the upper end of said standard for forcing said blade into the top end closure of the can and for supporting said can opener during the can opening operation.

l. A can opener comprising a narrow frame having a three sided inner portion of rectangular shape and an outer portion of substantially quadrant shape spaced from said inner portion and connected therto at its ends; a blade extending inwardly of said inner portion at one side of the open end thereof, an externally screw threaded sleeve extending into said inner portion at the closed side thereof and supported in internally screw threaded apertures in said inner and outer frame portions, a shaft journalled in said sleeve and having a hand crank, on the outer end thereof, a disk member having a radially serrated face fixed on the inner end of said shaft, and a thrust washer between said disk and the inner end of said sleeve, whereby rotation of said sleeve in said frame will move said disk toward said blade or free said disk for movement away from said blade.

auasor 5. A can opener comprising a generally angular frame having two portions disposed substantially at right angles to each other, a blade secured to the outer end of one frame portion and projecting into the space included between said two portions, an externally screw threaded sleeve rotatably mounted in the other of said frame portions and disposed substantially parallel to said one frame portion with its inner end extending into the space between said two frame portions, a shaft journalled in said sleeve and having a hand crank on the outer end thereof, and a disk on the inner end of said shaft having a radially serrated face adjacent the portion of said blade projecting into said space.

No references cited. 

